This invention relates to a front body structure of an automotive vehicle capable of effectively absorbing an impact load exerted thereon when the vehicle encounters a head-on collision.
There have been conventionally disposed front side frames formed as a closed channel extending in a lengthwise direction of a vehicle body on opposite sides of a front body of the vehicle as disclosed in, for example. Unexamined Japanese Utility Model Application No. 55-25583. These front side frames, constituting a basic structure of the front body of the vehicle, are formed in such a manner that a center portion thereof with respect to the lengthwise direction of the vehicle, i.e., a portion thereof positioned right before a passenger compartment, has higher rigidity than front end portions thereof. In this way, the front side frames are designed to absorb an impact load exerted on the front body of the vehicle when the vehicle encounters a head-on collision by rendering the front end portions thereof crushed up.
The conventional front body structure of the vehicle is such that the impact load of the head-on collision of the vehicle is concentrated on the front end portions of the front side frames, and thereby the front end portions are intensively crushed. Accordingly, the front end portions of the front side frames are required to have sufficiently long length in order to effectively absorb the impact load of the head-on collision. This necessitates constructing the front body of the vehicle long, which presents a great restriction in designing a vehicle body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a front body structure of an automotive vehicle designed to overcome the aforementioned drawback.